Planting seeds for college early

LINDEN - Linden High college and career counselor Pam Knapp was given a tough task Friday morning in teaching a group of 50 third-graders the difference between a job and a career.

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By Keith Reid

recordnet.com

By Keith Reid

Posted Nov. 17, 2012 at 12:01 AM

By Keith Reid

Posted Nov. 17, 2012 at 12:01 AM

» Social News

LINDEN - Linden High college and career counselor Pam Knapp was given a tough task Friday morning in teaching a group of 50 third-graders the difference between a job and a career.

She found a way to break it down for the youngsters.

"What is a J-O-B?" Knapp asked.

The reply in unison: "Just over broke!"

Knapp talked to third-graders about why college is important and how higher education can lead to better careers instead of lower-paying jobs.

Schools normally focus on fundamentals at this level, as studies continue to suggest that third-grade reading levels are a key indicator of success. Some Linden educators have decided the seeds for college should be planted in that age group.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation released a study in 2011 stating that children who are not proficient in reading by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school than those who are reading at grade level.

"We do all this state testing and we tell them they need to do well, but we don't tell them why they need to do well," Linden Elementary third-grade teacher Ann Sisson said. "I want them to know why we put that pressure on them, and what it means for them to aim for a career."

Knapp's speech to the third-graders revolved around jobs and explaining that the careers the children dream of filling require education and training. She taught them the difference between state colleges like California State University, Fresno, and University of California, Merced, and private colleges such as University of the Pacific. There is also technical training offered at San Joaquin Delta College and elsewhere, Knapp said.

For example, the children that suggested they wanted to be firefighters can start in Linden High's fire science class, she told them.

Some students said they want to be professional athletes. For them, Knapp brought senior Brittany Aoyama to speak. Aoyama just signed a letter of intent to join the swim team at Boise State University in Idaho.

"I'm not going to be a professional swimmer," Aoyama said. "But swimming is a part of my path to do what I want to do, which is be a physical therapist."

A path for Mario Ruvalcaba, 8, however, might be a little more complicated.

"I either want to be somebody that gets to test out hammocks, or be a spy," he said.

Knapp said he might start in the military and be trained in espionage to be a spy. Hammock testing hasn't made it into Linden High's guidebooks just yet.